Screw-holding driver.



G. H. ECKMAN.

SCREW HOLDING DRIVER.

APPLlcAHoN FILED MAY14,1915.

` Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GEORGE H. ECKMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA," ASSIGNOE 0F ONE-HALF TO WARREN Z.A NEWTON. Y

SCREW-HOLDING DRIVER.

Patented Apnya raie.

Application led May 14, 1915. Serial No. 28,098.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. EGKMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco,`in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Screw-Holding Driver, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in screw drivers, and more particularly to means for holding the screw in proper position at the end of the blade or shank without the necessity of holding or steadying the screw by the hand of the operator.

Another object is to provide a screw-holding means which may be applied Vto an ordinary screw-driver, which is capable of being moved into or out -of operative position thereon, and which is adapted to remain upon the shank of the driver whether the holding device is being used or not.

While the present invention is designed more particularly for use by machinists, jewelers, or other workers in metal, it may, with equal facility, be advantageously used in wood work where a bore or hole has not been previously provided, and is especially useful in driving screws in inconveniently located places.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a Icareful consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical'form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed. or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as pointed out in the claims hereto appended. 4

In the drawing, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts in each of theseveral figures: Figure l illus- -trates a screw driver, in elevation, having the device of the present invention ap lied thereto; Fig.- 2 is a similar view of) the lower portion of Fig. l, but taken at right angles thereto.' Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of Fig. QZ-'Ftlee screwholding means being projected into position to hold a screw. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the device in engagement with the head of a screw. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa plan view of the blank before being formed into the device of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing a modified form of the in vention applied to the screw-driver. Fig. 8 1s a view showing the manner of fastening the invention to the shank of the screwdriver. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the invention and disclosing in dotted lines the position which may be assumed by the attachment in engaging a screw. Fig..10 is a view of the invention before it is applied, and Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view showing the attachment or engaging lugs on the shank of the screw driver.

Any ordinary screw driver is susceptible of having the present device applied thereto, the only alteration necessary being to provide a groove 1 in theshank 2 thereof in alinement with one face of the screw driver blade 3, and a socket or indentation 4 in the opposite face 5 of the said blade.

The present invention comprises an attachment to'be applied to the shank of the driver and having certain parts to co-act with the said groove 1 andsaid indentation 4. To this end a blank is provided having a body portion 96 of rectangular formation, and preferably of a length approximately twice its width. This blank is adapted to be formed of any suitable sheet metal, preferably steel, and isprovidedy with an elongated tongue 7 extending from oney of the long sides of the said body portion and in the exact center thereof, while the shorter ends are each provided with an outwardly extending' lug or projection 8 also preferably located centrally of the said shorter ends of the blank 6 and lying in. a plane therewith. The relatively long tongue 7 is provided intermediate its length with a pro jecting lug t), preferably formed byv punching or pressmg the metal of the said tongue outwardly from the opposite face thereof. These features of the blank 6 are for a purpose hereinafter described, and it is to be understood that the size 4and proportions of the said blank depend upon the si'ze of the screw driver to which the ldevice is to4 be applied.

The device isapplied to the screw driver by bending the body portion 6- around the shank 2 thereof to form a sleeve 10 with the ends having thev lugs 8 abutting, and with the said lugs bent radially inward -to- `ward the center ofthe sleeve 10, thus formed, and extending into the groove or recess 1 provided at that point in the shank 2 of the screw driver. The faces of the abutting lugs 8 are in alinement with the adjacent edges of the blank 6, and the groove l is of a length greater than the width of the lugs 8, thus permitting of a limited longitudinal movement of the applied device upon the shank of the screw driver for a purpose to be explained. The tongue 7 is thus positioned upon the face 5 of the blade 3 of the screw driver with its free end 11 directed toward the active or driving end of the blade, and the lug 9 in a position to cos act with the socket 4 upon certain manipulations of the device along the shank of the screw driver.'

lVhen the device is pushed upwardly or away from the active end of the blade to throw the same into inactive position, the lugs 8 contact with the upper end wall of the groove 1 (or that end farthest removed from the end of the blade), thus limiting the movement of the holder in that direction. When in position the lug 9 lits within the socket 4 and tends to hold the device against dislodgment except when forced out of this position bythe operator, the normal tendency of the tongue 7 being to springinwardly to tightly hug the face 5 of the blade 3.

When the operator forces the device into the operative position, the lugs 8 strike the 0pposite or lower end wall 'of the groove 1 which brings the lower edge 11 into exact alinement with the end of the blade 3 and prevents any further downward movement. When in this position, the lug 9 has been forced out of the indentation 4 and bears against the face 5 of the blade. 3 and tends to hold the lower edge 11 which is slightly beveled in spaced relation to theend of the blade, as shown in Fig. 3. This space is sutiicientto adapt the device to screws of varying sizes within certain limits.

To apply the device to a screw it is only necessary to introduce the end 11 of the tongue 7 into the notch of the screw, in a somewhat angular position, when by forcing the said end 11 against the adjacent wall of the notch the same will yield suiliciently to permit of the active end of the blade of the screw driver being, in turn, seated in the notch. When thus positioned, the lug 9, bearing. against the blade 3, acts as a fulcrum and an outward pressure is exerted by the end of the tongue -igainst the walls ofi` the notch and thus maintains the screw in proper position to be driven, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In the modified form of the invention which is disclosed in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the body portion 6 of the attachment is provided with a.T shaped lug 12 at one end,

shank.

On the tongue 7 of the attachment ears 14 are formed which are adapted to be engaged by cam shaped lugs'l formed on the blade,V

3 of the shank. The ears are located on the sides of the tongue 7, so that when the attachment lis moved in one direction the ears will rest against the cam lugs 15 for Y holding the lower or working edge 11-of the tongue out of operative relation with the blade 3. When it is desired to have the tongue coperate with the blade 3, the body 6 is moved downwardly causing the ears 14 to travel onto the lugs 15, as indicated in Fig. 11, so that the end 11 will be spaced from the blade 3 and in a position to be inserted into the notch of the screw.

What is claimed is:

1. A screw driver provided with screwholding means consistin of a longitudinally movable member carrie by the shank of the screw driver, means for limiting the inward and outward movement of the member along 4the shank, a spring tongue carried by the movable member with its free end adjacent the active end of the screw driver blade, and means for spacing said tongue from the blade when the movable member is in its operative position, so that the end of the tongue may coperate with the end of the blade in holding the screw.

2. A screw-holding driver having a longi tudinally movable member mounted upon the shank of the driver, a spring tongue carried by the member and adapted to lie parallel with the flat face of the screw driver blade, means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the movable member along the said shank, and means for holding the free end of said tongue in spaced relation with the active end of the blade, so as to coact therewiththe last mentioned means acting to maintain the holding member from movement when in its inoperative position.

3. vIn combination with a screw driver having a groove provided in its shank adjacent the blade thereof, and a socket provided on the blade, a sleeve surrounding the said shank having a lug projecting int relation with the end of the screw dr'iver blade.

4. A screw driver provided on its shank with a longitudinally disposed groove, and on the opposite face of its bla-de with a socket, a longitudinally movable 'screw-holding member comprising a sleeve mounted upon the shank, having a lug adapted to ride in the said groove and to be limited in its mo-vement thereby, and a longitudinally disposed spring tongue carried by the sleeve having its free or active end in alinement with and in spaced relation to the active end of the blade when in its operative position, a lug formed on'the spring tongue intermediate its length and vadapted to bear upon the adjacent face of the screw driver blade whenI in` said position to maintain the said ends in spaced relation, said lug being adapted to enter the said socket when moved to lock the holding means in inoperative position.

l 5. A screwholding driver, carrying a longitudinally movable screw-holding member adapted to be held out of operative posi- A away from the active end of the screw driver blade, in order to cause the free end of the `sald 'holding member to co-act therewith while under spring tension. and frictionally .engage the notch in the head of a screw to hold or support the same. v

Invtestimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. v

GEORGE H. EGKMAN.

Witnesses LEONARD LEVY, ALMA SAHM. 

